Seven years after Badarmude incident, Prachanda in public apologizes for wrongdoing

CHITWAN: Better late than never! Seven years after the infamous Badarmude incident, UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda on Thursday asked for apology to the victims by seeing them at the same place.

Earlier, the victims and injured of the notorious incident had been asking Prachanda to apologize for the incident and see up at the site.

Prachanda who had expressed his desire to visit the site repeatedly attended on Thursday on the pretext of inaugurating the Madi Festival.

A total of 38 including three security personnel had died in an ambush planted by the former rebels at Badarmude in Kalyanpur VDC of Madi, Chitwan.

Inaugurating the Festival, Dahal also announced a relief package of Rs 6 million and told the participants that they can use the money for the good cause on their own. He also urged the people to forget any kind of horrendous incidents that occurred during the decade-long conflict and devote themselves for building a prosperous Nepal.

He said the relief package was prepared after holding discussions with Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction, Finance Ministry and Office of the Prime Minister.

On the occasion, Dahal pledged to take initiative for establishing a 25-bed hospital at Madi and construct embankments along the Rewa River and other rivulets.